1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) is a compound having multiple uses. It is used as a chemical intermediate and in plastics, resins, fibers and coatings. For example, it is used as a monomer unit in the production of polyesters and polyurethanes that are useful as films and as fibers for carpets and textiles. It is also useful as an engine coolant.
1,3-PDO, when derived from petroleum sources, may be prepared from ethylene oxide (EO) in a process involving two primary reactions. First, EO and synthesis gas (H2/CO) are catalytically hydroformylated to form 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (HPA) in an organic solvent. The HPA is extracted from the solvent with water to form an aqueous solution of HPA, and the aqueous solution of HPA is then hydrogenated in the presence of a catalyst to form 1,3-PDO.
Thus, the reactants in the primary industrial pathway to 1,3-PDO are petroleum sources which are imported from politically volatile areas, expensive and non sustainable for industrial chemical production. There is a need in the art for alternative methods for the production of 1,3-PDO that are reliable, inexpensive, and sustainable.